In the gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by enhancing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
US 2010/0062830 A1 to Hornik discloses on a transmissive display layer positioned in front of mechanical reels of a slot machine. The transmissive display layer depicts video images over the mechanical reels to indicate a bonus-award. The transmissive layer video images enhance ease recognition of a bonus-award for a player.
US 2010/0317427 A1 to Ozaki et al. discloses a slot machine with multiple-layer display capability. A back side display layer reveals a matrix of symbols and a front side display layer generates an overlapping pattern that relates to at least some of the symbols. The front side display is adapted to optimize the overlapping patterns so as to minimize blind spots.
US 2010/0304831 A1, to Suda et al. shows a slot machine having an array of symbols displayed for both primary and secondary (e.g. bonus) game play. The bonus game play is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome of the basic game. In particular, Suda describes using a subset of columns to indicate whether bonus game capability is achieved. In one embodiment, the columns in which scatter (i.e. bonus) symbols appear are selected for bonus game purposes.
US 2009/0275387 A1, to Yoshizawa, discloses a slot machine that displays a matrix of symbols as part of the primary game play and secondary game play occurs where the symbols are classified according to background color. The symbols having a common background color are grouped and re-positioned adjacent to each other on the display. In other words, symbols positioned once on a display are repositioned so as to gather the symbols with the same background color. Yoshizawa confirms that background effects can be an important part of gaming experience, particularly with secondary game play.
The gaming industry is competitive and ever-evolving. Although many games continue to entertain gaming enthusiasts, there is still an unmet need for better and more interesting games and features. There is also an unmet need for making gaming experience user-friendly to enable a player to readily understand the various gaming features and variations available.